Case Studies

Case Studies

They didn’t need the CPP money to live on. They planned to just pay the taxes on the benefits received (at 54% in Ontario) and reinvest the difference. They wanted to pay less tax and leave a charitable legacy for their family.

Mr. and Mrs. M, aged 72 and 68, both retired, are the custodians of a Holding company with real estate, equities and fixed income investments totaling $20 million. The entire portfolio is "never spend money" as they plan to pass it along to their children and grandchildren. They pay income tax every year at over 50% on the business investment income. They wanted to leave more for future generations and less to the tax department.

We were contacted in 2005 for information about Critical Illness Insurance. The first meeting uncovered an urgent need for comprehensive tax planning and estate planning. The husband owned a few life insurance policies purchased many years before, but no one had ever looked at the big picture, complicated by the tax implications for his wife, a U.S. citizen and permanent resident of Canada.

55 year old real estate developer with a net worth of $50M hates life insurance

Client/Challenge:

A married, 55 year old real estate developer with a net worth of $50M hates life insurance. He will have estate taxes due on the second to die of him and his spouse but has never purchased insurance because the premiums are too expensive and he can do much better investing his own money in real estate

Mrs. B, is a 70 year old widow with 2 adult children. Her $20 Million estate is comprised of real estate and other fixed income investments. She wanted to eliminate estate taxes and leave a charitable legacy.

Dr. E (age 72) and his wife (age 69). They are asset rich and cash poor with $2.1 million in RIFs, a $2M cottage and $1M condo. They planned to make the minimum prescribed withdrawals from their RIF and wanted to eliminate the 46% tax bill on any residue.

Two partners in their mid-40's operate a real estate business valued at $100 million

Client/Challenge:

Two partners in their mid-40's operate a real estate business valued at $100 million. Each of them will have a very large estate tax liability on death. They are heavily invested in equities and very concerned about stock market volatility.

J is self-made, married, with 2 young children and no life insurance. He was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic and anxious to protect his family. All of his corporate assets are used to secure the bank loans used to finance company growth.

R & H own and operate a growing chain of automobile dealerships. The business is very profitable and now has 70 employees. No Buy/Sell Agreement is in place and no insurance was arranged to properly fund a buy-out. Both partners are underinsured and paying tax at the highest rates.

A one-man plumbing operation grew into a profitable enterprise worth $4 million . The company is debt-free, with 10 employees, a small piece of commercial real estate and fleet of 6 trucks. W has always re-invested the earnings back into his business, has very little savings, no life insurance and pays income tax at the highest marginal rates.